Aplus.net Blog

Despite weathering some well-known difficulties in recent years, the Los Angeles Times has still managed to maintain its status as one of the nation’s leading newspapers, and in particular, a reliable source of info for the business community. And no small part of that reputation comes from an author who’s been penning the newspaper’s small business advice section since the early ’90s, Karen E. Klein.

An accomplished online entrepreneur in her own right, Ms. Klein’s question-and-answer column at the L.A. Times has accumulated an incredible amount of small business management info over the years, covering everything from marketing to balancing the books.

One of Ms. Klein’s recent articles touched on a subject that we’ve been spending a lot of time discussing here at the Aplus.Net Blog — and that we’ll soon be spending a lot more time talking about: What’s in a domain name?

Picking the right domain name

Dear Karen: My preferred domain name is taken. How do I create another one?

Answer: Identify the keywords your target customers will search and use those words in your domain name, putting your most important keyword first. “Keep it short. Use no more than three or four short words – 55 characters, max – in your domain name,” said Caroline Melberg, founder of Small Business Mavericks.

Consider using hyphens between the words, which makes your domain easier to read. “If your main keyword choices are taken, consider making one a plural or singular version,” Melberg said. “Or try adding numbers to find a clever, catchy domain name.” You could also add supporting words, such as “online” or “pro,” to your keywords.

“Imagine you are giving your website address over the phone to someone who does not have a pen and paper handy, or over the radio where people are listening in their cars. If your domain makes sense to your prospects, they are much more likely to remember it and type it in once they get to their computer,” Melberg said.

Read the original article here. Klein also writes for The Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, and BusinessWeek. Check out her L.A. Times column here.